In the East of the West competition the top prize went to the Hungarian German coproduction, The Wednesday Child / Szerdai gyerek, directed by Lili Horváth. The FIPRESCI award went to the Romanian French German coproduction Florin Şerban’s Box. The top rated film in the FNE FIPRESCI Critics ratings was Babai directed by Visar Morina in the main competition and in the East of the West competition Heavenly Nomadic directed by Mirlan Abdykalykov tied with The Wednesday Child.
Richard Gere and Harvey Keitel brought star power to the event while overall the festival screened a total of 488 films for 135, 105 viewers.
50th Karlovy Vary IFF Award Winners
Official Competition
Grand Prix
Bob and the Trees (USA)
Directed by Diego Ongaro
Special Jury Prize
Those Who Fall Have Wings /Jeder der fällt hat Flügel (Austria)
Directed by Peter Brunner
Best Director
Visar Moring for Babai (Germany, Kosovo, Macedonia, France)
Best Actress
Alena Mihulová for the film Home Care / Domácí péče (Czech Republic, Slovakia)
Directed by Slávek Horák
Coproduced by Fog’n’Desire Films, Czech Television, Sokol Kollar, HBO Czech Republic
Supported by Czech Film Fund, Slovak Audiovisual Fund
Best Actor
Kryštof Hádek for his role in the film The Snake Brothers / Kobry a užovky
Directed by Jan Prušinovský (Czech Republic)
Produced by Czech Television, RWE Česká Republika
Supported by Czech Film Fund
Special Jury Mention
The Magic Mountain / La montagne magique (Romania, France, Poland)
Directed by: Anca Damian
Produced by Aparte Film
Coproduction: France, Filmograf (Poland)
Supported by Romanian National Center for Cinema , Polish Film Institute
Special Jury Mention
Antonia (Italy, Greece)
Directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino
East of the West Competition
Main Prize
The Wednesday Child / Szerdai gyerek (Hungary, Germany)
Directed by Lili Horváth
Special Jury Mention
The World Is Mine / Lumea e a mea (Romania, 2015, 104min.)
Directed by: Nicolae Constantin Tănase
Produced by Libra Film, deFilm
Supported by Romanian National Center for Cinema
Documentary Film Competition
Best Documentary Over 60 minutes
Mallory (Czech Republic)
Directed by: Helena Třeštíková
Special Jury Mention
The Father Tapes / Vaterfilm (Austria)
Directed by: Albert Meisl
Best Documentary Under 30 minutes
White Death / Muerta Blanca (Chile)
Directed by: Roberto Collío
Special Jury Mention
Women in Sink (UK, Israel)
Directed by: Iris Zaki
Forum of Independents Competition
Tangerine (USA)
Directed by: Sean Baker
Audience Award
Youth / La giovinezza (Italy, France, Switzerland, UK)
Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino
Crystal Globe of Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema: Richard Gere
Festival President’s Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography: Iva Janžurová
Non-Statutory Awards
International Film Critics Award (FIPRESCI)
Box (Romania, Germany,France)
Directed by Florin Şerban
Produced by Fantascope, Augenschein Filmproduktion
Supported by Romanian CNC, Eurimages
Ecumenical Jury Award
Bob and the Trees (USA)
Directed by: Diego Ongaro
Special Jury Mention
Song of Songs / Pesn pesney (Ukraine)
Directed by: Eva Neymann
Federation of Film Critics of Europe and The Mediterranean Award (FEDEORA)
Best Film of East of the West Competition Ex-aqueo
Heavenly Nomadic / Sutak (Kyrgysztan)
Directed by: Mirlan Abdykalykov
The Wednesday Child / Szerdai gyerek (Hungary, Germany)
Directed by: Lili Horváth
Europa Cinemas Label Award
Babai (Germany, Kosovo, Macedonia, France)
Directed by: Visar Morina
Works in Progress Most Promising Project Award
Park (Greece)
Directed by Sofia Exarchou